Summary of findings
Accessed December 2025The DEN Nursery Group demonstrates an exceptionally high standard of early years nutrition provision, underpinned by a robust centrally led nutritional framework and delivered locally with care, consistency, and professionalism.
Menus are carefully designed and maintained as part of a 16 day rotational cycle, updated seasonally, and reflect a deep understanding of how nutrition supports:
- Physical growth
- Brain development
- Emotional regulation
- Long term health
The nursery consistently provides fresh, home cooked meals using whole food ingredients, with minimal reliance on added sugars, salt, or processed products.
Key Strengths
- A centrally developed, evidence informed nutrition framework led by the Catering Manager and consistently implemented across the site
- High quality menus featuring wholegrains, vegetables, pulses, oily fish, fermented foods, and healthy fats
- Almost exclusive use of from scratch cooking, significantly exceeding sector norms
- Thoughtful and inclusive provision for vegetarian, dairy free, and other dietary requirements without compromising nutritional quality
- Outstanding nutrition education delivered through daily Food Fact Cards that engage children in understanding food origins and function
- Strong alignment between leadership, kitchen teams, and nursery staff resulting in consistent standards and confident delivery
The DEN Nursery Group not only meets but significantly exceeds the requirements for Food for the Brain Accreditation
The daily Food Fact Cards are a particularly notable feature. They form part of a centrally designed food education programme and are delivered daily by nursery teams, providing children with age appropriate and engaging explanations of how food supports their bodies and brains.
Leadership across the catering provision is exemplary. The Catering Manager’s long term work in developing menus, recipes, standards, and training is clearly reflected in the consistency, quality, and confidence with which food is delivered at all settings.
The team demonstrates strong ownership of implementation and day to day excellence.
Conclusion
The DEN Nursery Group has achieved an Excellent result in this Food for the Brain Accreditation audit and comfortably surpasses the threshold required for full accreditation.
This outcome reflects an outstanding commitment to child wellbeing, underpinned by evidence based nutritional practice, high quality ingredient sourcing, and a deeply embedded culture of care.
The DEN Nursery Group sets a benchmark for best practice in early years nutrition.
The setting is well positioned as a sector leader and model example of how food can be used as a foundational tool for lifelong brain health.
Food for the Brain is delighted to recognise The DEN Nursery Group as fully accredited at an Excellent standard, and we look forward to supporting the nursery in maintaining and further developing this exemplary approach in the years ahead.
